19181/Terrax Aftermath: Guardians

Terrax Aftermath: Guardians
Date of Scene:	29 September 2024
Location:	Wakanda
Synopsis:	Amid the battlefield in Wakanda, Lois Lane searches for stories to tell. She finds some of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the interview goes about as one would expect.
Cast of Characters:	Rocket, Mantis, Lois Lane

---

Rocket has posed:
The aftermath of an extended battle is barely less chaotic than the battle itself. There are wounded to attend to, with urgent calls for extraction. There are literal fires to put out, and infrastructure to shore up. There are defenses to bolster. And all of this must be done as quickly as possible, no matter how much grief the first responders might be experiencing. There will be a time for mourning later, but for now, there's work in need of doing.

With his arm count reduced to three, the intergalactic heartbreaker known as Groot is taking a break from his career as a motivational speaker, and instead offering whatever assistance he can to the Wakandan first response teams. Though he is not completely healed from his brush with Terrax, his bark has begun to regenerate, and he seems to have enough energy left in the tank to use his abilities to craft emergency structures for the wounded, stretchers for the non-ambulatory, and even splints and crutches for those who just need a bit of help.

His partner, on the other hand, is sitting on the edge of a rift in the ground, looking despondently off into the distance at the remains of a vessel that used to be called home. Rocket's helmet is off to the side, his spacesuit covered in dust, and a bit of snot hanging from one of his nostrils. Wiping it with the back of his glove, he appears to be in the middle of having something similar to an emotion.

"D'ast... good luck finding a Spore-Tek Singulator on a backward dump like this. Hafta wait a thousand years for these mouth breathers to invent artificial gravity worth a flark..."

Off in the distance, chaos is beginning to turn into an orderly rescue, while the Galaxy's most reluctant Guardian draws his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them.

Mantis has posed:
An outstretched hand gently arrives on Rocket's shoulder.

"Rocket..." Mantis begins, struggling with her own voice. Her voice is normally very soft, ethereal even, but it's difficult to make sounds right now. She practically chokes out her crewmate's name as she reaches out to touch him. Normally, Rocket would not allow her to pet him and there have been misunderstandings about that in the past, but a decision is made to risk it.

She was just choked within an inch of her life, almost a statistic in the aftermath of the day's battle and, instead of allowing herself some much needed time to recover, Mantis checks on her friend.

Whether he likes it or not.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois exhales heavily, her fingers drumming against the bottle in her hand as she stares at her notes, trying to shake off the haze of exhaustion. The helmet feels too big on her head, and she adjusts it, half-wondering if the sergeant who shoved it into her hands just before everything went to hell made it out alive. She's frustrated that she doesn't even know their name. She doesn't know if they're still fighting somewhere, buried under rubble, or worse. There's an ache in her chest at the thought, but no time to dwell.

She takes a swig from her water, her eyes scanning the remnants of chaos around her; flashes of frantic first responders and hastily constructed shelters crafted by Groot's ever-resourceful limbs. The scent of burning rubble lingers in the air, clinging to her senses like a persistent reminder of everything that's been lost today.

Off in the distance, Rocket looks smaller than usual, sitting near the edge of a rift, his dust-covered form almost blending with the wreckage behind him. It hits her harder than she expected, seeing him like that-vulnerable, his bravado stripped away for just a moment. When Mantis gently places a hand on his shoulder, it's like she's witnessing something private, something raw. She hesitates, her instincts as a journalist warring with her compassion.

After snapping a couple of quick, careful photos - she's still on assignment, after all - Lois gets to her feet. Her body feels heavier than it should, a mix of battle fatigue and emotional weight pressing down on her shoulders. Grabbing a few extra bottles of water, she makes her way toward the trio. If there's one thing she knows after years of being in the middle of the action, it's that even the toughest heroes need help sometimes, whether they admit it or not.

"Hey," she says quietly as she approaches, holding out the water. "Thought you might need this."

Rocket has posed:
One of the procyonid's ears turn backward slightly at the soft approaching footsteps. For reasons that are never talked about, Rocket is an extremely paranoid and untrusting sort of fellow. It perhaps says a bit about his personal growth that he does not react violently to being touched. He does, however, tense up reflexively as if he's expecting pain. It takes him a second or two to start relaxing, almost as if it requires exerting actual effort. Turning to look back over his shoulder, Rocket looks genuinely concerned.

"You ain't s'posed to be walking around yet Mantis. You might crap your pants."

Wiping his nose again as the reporter approaches, Rocket clears his throat and straightens his back. Arms release knees. Legs drop to a more neutral sitting pose. Scrambling up to his feet as heroically as possible, he puts a bit of distance between himself and Mantis, as if he's been caught in the middle of something embarrassing. Nodding his head toward his teammate, he answers the generous offer in a manner that's tinged with his more familiar brashness. The mask is back up, or at least it's getting there.

"Go ahead, Mantis. You're the one with the squished-up throat meats. Just don't drink too fast, I ain't got nothing to make a tracheogomy with..."

Off in the distance, Groot waves as a departing helicopter carries off some of the wounded that he helped stabilize. What a guy. It's a shame he probably won't get paid for any of this.

Mantis has posed:
Mantis's expression is blank, pensive even, as it often is. She stands behind Rocket with both shoulders tensed, unsure of herself. After all, it's not often that Rocket -- let alone any Guardian -- allows her to touch him. Drax once spent an entire evening sobbing over his unrequited love of his sock after Mantis forced that feeling upon him as a joke. She stands in silence until Rocket suggests she might crap her pants.

"I will NOT crap my pants!" she shouts suddenly before succumbing to the pain in her throat. It takes a few seconds of strained coughing before she fully recovers from her outburst. A few more seconds of silence pass after the final cough before a question forms. Mantis opens her mouth to speak, hesitates, and then closes it. She looks down at her feet before finding the courage to open her mouth again.

"...Do you....Do you want to feel better?" she asks quietly, wheezing through each word. Her antennae slowly rise, perking up as she waits for permission from Rocket, hopeful that he'll say yes.

The moment, a tender one between friends, comes to an abrupt end as Rocket scrambles away from her. Mantis turns towards the stranger, antennae perked as she fills with curiosity. She blinks her inky black eyes a couple of times and tenses her shoulders, as though she might be trying to fade into the background if such a thing was possible. She doesn't immediately take the water. After all, Mantis is not used to people offering her things. It's Rocket's insistence that gives her the courage, finally, to reach out with her hand and take the bottle from Lois Lane.

"Thank you," is all she says, almost gagging on the words as she tries to make the sounds.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois slows her approach when Rocket scrambles up to his feet, her brow arching slightly at his hasty attempt to recover his bravado. It's almost endearing, though she keeps that thought to herself, knowing full well that Rocket could bristle again.

She offers a small smile when Mantis hesitates before finally taking the bottle. The alien woman's curiosity and shyness remind her of other heroes she's met-those who bear immense power but are still, at their core, unsure of how to navigate simple human interaction. Lois has seen it before, and in a strange way, it comforts her to see it again, even out here on the fringes of the galaxy's chaos.

"You're welcome," Lois says softly, her voice gentle but steady. She takes a moment to scan the horizon, the distant sound of helicopters, Groot's massive form waving, and the soft hum of Wakandan forces working tirelessly to put the world back together. It's not lost on her, the scale of what's happening; the battle may be over, but the wounds it's left behind will take time to heal.

Turning her attention back to the pair, Lois straightens slightly, extending her hand in a gesture as much about respect as it is about formality. "I'm Lois Lane, a journalist. It's good to meet you both."

She hesitates, just for a second, before continuing, "I wanted to thank you. For what you and the rest of your team did here. Earth... we needed you, and you answered. That's something worth recognizing."

There's a pause as she glances between Rocket and Mantis, offering them space in the conversation before carefully adding, "I don't want to push. You've been through hell and back. But when you're ready, I'd love to share your story with the public. People need to know the real heroes who've come to their aid. No rush, of course." Lois's tone is sincere, her journalist instincts tempered by her understanding of timing.

Rocket has posed:
For a moment, Rocket looks something approximately resembling flummoxed. His eyebrows, or rather the areas where his eyebrows would be if he had them, knit together. Either way, the white furred stripes are closer than they were previously, we can all agree on that much. He looks from the generous reporter, to his awkward teammate, and then back.

Waving off the request, Rocket takes another step away from the spooky one and her emotion causing antennae. It looks like today isn't the day for him to start therapy. Maybe one day, but he doesn't have an especially long lifespan, so it's not likely.

"Thanks, but I feel dandy. Nothin' a little booze won't solve."

Spitting on the ground before him, Rocket wipes his snout on the back of his glove. The same dust-covered glove he wiped his nose with. It's cool, don't worry about it. Raccoons are clean.

"We appreciate the whole... uh... gratitude thing. But... how the flark are you supposed to 'share our story' if you're some kinda... diary... writing... person?"

Mantis has posed:
Mantis' antennae droop as her optimism fades a bit in the wake of Rocket's decision. She keeps her hands to herself, though, even for just casual touch. With physical contact, Mantis can make nearly anyone feel anything she wants them to feel but, as she's learned, it's wrong to do it to friends. Instead, she focuses on the bottle of water placed into her hands.

Lois is regarded with shy curiosity as Mantis stares with her dark, endlessly expressive eyes. Her eyebrows, mouth, and antennae shift gently as she allows a mixture of emotions to arrive, be experienced, and finally pass.

Mantis holds the bottle for several seconds, an approximation of how long she assumes she'd keep it to take a drink, before tensing up again. She steps forward and holds the bottle out for Rocket to take. "Your turn, Rocket," she interrupts, raspy and barely above a whisper. She didn't even open it.

"Our story?" Mantis repeats curiously before she glances back at Rocket, searching for a signal for how she ought to respond to that. She finds her answer and returns her attention to Lois.

"Yes. I also would like to know."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois can't help the faintest twitch of amusement at Rocket's reaction. He may not have eyebrows, but the way his fur shifts makes his confusion and wariness unmistakable. She doesn't take it personally-after all, she's dealt with more than her fair share of reluctant heroes.

"Booze is one way to cope," she replies lightly, meeting his brashness with a calm, steady gaze. She watches as he spits on the ground and wipes his nose, somehow managing to maintain her composure. Raccoons might be clean, but she's still not entirely sold on that particular habit.

When Mantis steps forward to offer the untouched water bottle back to Rocket, Lois notices the subtle exchange between the two-a silent dance of hesitance and respect. Mantis's large, expressive eyes hold so much in their depths, and Lois can see the quiet vulnerability in the way she looks for Rocket's cues.

At their questions, Lois lets out a small breath and smiles gently, taking a step back so as not to crowd them. "I'm a reporter with the Daily Planet. It's one of the largest newspapers on Earth. Millions of humans read my stories. I write about the truth-about the real heroes out there fighting to protect people like us."

She pauses, glancing between Rocket and Mantis, making sure they understand. "I'm not asking for anything sensational or exploitative. Just the truth. Your story-the good, the bad, and everything in between. People need to know who they're putting their faith in. And you... well, you've all done something extraordinary. That deserves to be shared."

Her voice is soft but sincere, and she doesn't push further. Instead, she waits, letting them decide if they want to open up or walk away. After all, it's their story, and she respects that.

Rocket has posed:
"You let other people read your diary? Humans are strange..."

Shrugging, Rocket chalks this up as yet another strange custom that he hopes to not be around long enough to understand. All evidence points to a lengthy stay, especially the smoking ruin of their only way off planet. But though he's never been counted among the galaxy's optimists, Rocket has a certain irrepressible arrogance that he occasionally manages to live up to.

Somewhat bemusedly, Rocket shifts his weight to one leg and places one of his gloved paws on the handle of one of his blasters. Stroking his chin with the other, he gives the ace reporter an appraising stare, before coming to his decision.

"You make some real valid points. We DID do somethin' extraordinary. And exploitative, too. We exploitatived that Turdaxe guy's weaknesses and... totally got him in trouble with his boss. Good luck gettin' a new job with a resume like that! Ha!"

As the helicopter fades from sight, Groot begins turning back toward the group, curious about the goings on. Clearly feeling that his shrewd diplomatic abilities might be known, he begins sauntering over in his lackadaisical fashion. One of his arms has begun to get reabsorbed, barely more than a baby arm sticking out of his torso. Sap is still leaking from a few spots, but it looks like the Wakandan soil is helping him regenerate quickly. Or maybe it's the aftereffects of Peter Quill's Magical Light Show.

"Go ahead, put us on your datastream lady. Just make sure you get my good side."

Turning slightly, Rocket tilts his head up and to the right, looking especially heroic as the begins setting behind him.

Mantis has posed:
With her hands now empty, Mantis brings both of them to rest down at her waist. Her fingers begin to gently worry against themselves as she silently considers what her story might be. She remains like that for several seconds, unsure of what to say, how to say it, or when. She only looks up once Rocket declares that humans are strange, immediately watching Lois' reaction to that. Mantis' expression remains mostly empty with an undertone of sadness as she continues to bask in her own private turmoil.

Until Rocket starts posing.

"I am Mantis," she finally offers out of nowhere. She has a tendency to introduce herself abruptly, perhaps even after a conversation has started. But, if people are going to read Lois Lane's diary, they might as well know her name. It actually seems like she's going to keep speaking, too, and offer a rare insight into what's going on in that empty head of hers.

"...And we are..."

But she's interrupted.

"Oh, hi, Groot," Mantis says as the giant tree approaches, managing to find her smile again just in time to give him one. Miraculously, she turns her attention back to the reporter. She has a diary entry to write, after all.

"The Earth is very special to me," Mantis admits reluctantly, perking up a little bit as she tries to be inspirational. "To all of us." She chews on that for a moment and decides to clarify. "Maybe not to Rocket." Mantis stares forward and sighs. "...Or Drax." Mantis' expression falls.

"...Do you like the Earth, Groot?" she wonders glumly, looking up at him with those doe-like eyes.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois can't help but chuckle softly at Rocket's remark about humans and their "diaries." It's true-there's a strange intimacy in sharing one's thoughts with the world, but it's a necessary risk, especially when the stakes are this high. Watching Rocket's sudden shift to posing dramatically as the sun begins to set, she raises an eyebrow, fighting back a grin.

"I'll make sure to get your good side," she promises, quickly snapping a shot of Rocket's "heroic" pose, though the amusement dancing in her eyes shows she's not taking it too seriously.

Her attention shifts when Mantis introduces herself, abruptly but sincerely, and Lois offers a kind smile in return. The way Mantis reflects on Earth, hesitating as she grapples with her emotions, catches Lois's attention. There's a fragility in Mantis's words, a deep care for this planet that strikes a chord. Lois notices how her voice falters at the mention of Rocket and Drax, and she wonders just how much these Guardians have been through together.

But before she lets herself get too wrapped up in the sentiment of it all, Lois switches back to business mode, locking eyes with Rocket first, then Mantis, and finally Groot as he approaches.

"I have to ask," Lois begins, her tone more serious now. "Do you think we'll be able to stop Galactus? I mean, can we drive him away if-when-he comes here?"

She pauses, watching their reactions closely, then presses on, "I heard you mention something about Terrax having a weakness earlier. What do you know about that? Anything we could use to help us against Galactus? Because if there's even the smallest chance of sending that monster packing, I want to be ready for it."

Rocket has posed:
"No, Mantis, not to me. And I will tell you why. For starters... the location is just terrible..."

Holding up one of his hands, Rocket begins the process of counting down the reasons he doesn't consider the Earth special. Having tapped the first finger, he extends the second to add to his list. "You don't get NONE of the good datastreams. And..."

"I am Groot?"

The lumbering Flora Colossus finally makes it over, a slow smile spreading across his gnarled, bark-covered face. It looks as if somewhere between the battle and now Groot has acquired a Wakandan tattoo, carved into the bark on what would be his bicep if he had human anatomy. Or it might just be graffiti. Groot can't read human.

"I was gonna get to that, Groot. The sky here got's too many clouds in it. And..."

"I am Groot."

"What do you mean we already stopped him? That was just Turdaxe the Tumor. He's like... the errand boy or whatever. Galactus is like... thiiiiis big!"

Holding his hands up as high as they go, Rocket gives a reference point for Galactus' size that is just a bit under five feet tall.

"But from like... waaaaay over there." Pointing with one of his clawed digits, Rocket indicates the peak of a mountain off in the distance.

"I am Groot?"

"Right. Like... seventy zubits... maybe a hundred fifty? I never actually seen the guy, I usually stay away from doomed planets about to get eaten."

"I am Groot!"

"Don't worry good buddy, we'll get offa here before that happens."

"I am Groot..."

Looking from Groot to Lois, Rocket smiles shyly, and rubs the back of his head with his claws.

"No, not ALL of 'em...."

The giant tree man leans forward, arm moving slowly forward until the heavy branch comes to rest on Lois' shoulder. Nodding empathetically, Groot provides what will undoubtedly be the most relevant quote for her little apocalyptic puff piece.

"I am Groot."

Looking confused, Rocket looks up at Groot.

"She don't care that the soil here tastes weird, she's trying to figure out how to stop Galactus."

Mantis has posed:
"I think that the Earth has very good chances...but..." Mantis begins, managing to get through most of the answer before losing her confidence and succumbing to demure shyness. She glances down at the weird tasting soil for a second before continuing to speak.

"But they laughed at me on Knowhere and said that the Earth is doomed and that I am stupid!" she explains, accidentally shouting that last bit at Lois. Mantis, once again, slips back into silence, gently placing one of her hands against her throat. The skin is still raw from where Terrax choked her.

Out of nowhere, Mantis announces her departure. "I am going to check on Peter," she declares. That's all. Just like that. No goodbye, no continued pleasantries, just an announcement that she is now leaving. Mantis. Is. Awkward.

"I am Groot..."

"I know!" Mantis agrees, regards Lois Lane with some alien confusion, and then begins to walk away to find Peter Quill.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois watches the exchange between Rocket and Groot, her head tilting slightly as Rocket rattles off his reasons for Earth not being "special." She can't help but smile at the absurdity of it all, but that smile falters as Groot speaks again, his deep, resonant voice like a calming hum. She listens intently, trying to decipher his words before glancing back at Rocket.

"Wait," Lois says, her brows furrowing, "what is Groot saying? I mean, I'm getting the vibe he's not exactly a fan of the soil here, but... there's something more to it, isn't there?"

She places a hand lightly on the bark of Groot's arm, nodding as if encouraging him to share more, even though she's still piecing together his language. "He mentioned something about stopping someone, right? And... he's not worried about Galactus?" Lois's voice is calm, but the urgency is clear. If there's any shred of information they've missed, now's the time to hear it.

Her gaze shifts to Mantis, who's suddenly exclaiming about being mocked and called stupid on Knowhere. Lois frowns, shaking her head softly. "You're not stupid, Mantis. No one who's been through what you have and still stands is stupid." Her tone is firm but gentle, trying to reassure the empath before Mantis abruptly announces she's leaving.

Lois sighs as Mantis walks away, turning back to Rocket and Groot. "Okay, so... what's the real situation here? You said you stopped Terrax, but what's your real purpose here? Are you mercenaries that are just here until Galactus arrives? Space tourists to see the curiosity that's about to disappear forever?" She shows a hint of frustration, considering what they all just went through, she can only gather information.a

Rocket has posed:
"Yeah, she ain't the brightest turd in the punch bowl..."

Watching Mantis leave, Rocket doesn't seem especially surprised by the abrupt nature of her departure. Mantis generally does Mantis, after all, moving wherever the Universe tells her to, or however it was that she explained it. In private moments, Rocket might wish that the Universe hadn't asked her to bring along the rest of the Guardians on this particular voyage...

"Old Groot here thinks that if you guys work together and come up with a plan, maybe you got a fightin' chance. But I was lookin' at some of your news feeds on the way in and... buuuuuddy.... you guys are flarked. You haven't even harnessed one percent of the power of your Sun, no way you'll complete a public works project as big as a planetary defense network before Big and Hungry shows up."

"I am Groot..."

Sighing, Rocket steps a little closer, looking up at Lois with a faint touch of something in his eyes. It's something that looks suspiciously like... caring?

"Okay, here's the deal, human. Your planet's gonna get ate up. Ate up like fresh leftovers in the Boot of Jemiah's dumpster. Delicious, delicious bar nuts."

He starts to look away, over his shoulder, in the general direction of where he assumes Knowhere must be, before realizing that this planet rotates a bit faster than Halfworld. He catches himself, and looks back up at her.

"But the thing is, we're the Guardians of the Galaxy. And even the Galaxy's butthole is part of the Galaxy. So you just leave it to us, and whatever heroes you got on this crummy dustball. We'll protect this butthole, like a nice pair of underpants."

"I am Groot!"

"Underpants made of metal? That'd be uncomfortable as hell, don't make no sense..."

"I am Groot."

"How the hell would you know, you never worn underpants a day in your life!"

"I am Groot!"

"Really? Does he know you tried them on?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois listens to Rocket's words, letting them sink in, though her mind drifts for a moment, thinking about the weight of what's coming. The odds are daunting, but she's never been one to give up in the face of impossible odds. And she knows Earth's heroes - they've faced the end before and still found a way to survive.

She straightens up, meeting Rocket's gaze with quiet determination. "Look, I get it. We're way behind, and maybe, by all accounts, we should be flarked. But I have faith in Earth's heroes. They've done the impossible before, and I believe they'll do it again."

Her thoughts briefly land on one hero in particular - him. She doesn't say his name aloud, but just thinking of him fills her with a renewed sense of hope. He's always been the one to show up when things looked their bleakest. Maybe he's already working on a plan. Maybe he's out there, preparing for this new threat, just like he always does.

Lois shakes off the thought, focusing back on Rocket and Groot. "So, I'm not giving up. And if you're saying we've got a chance, even a slim one, then we're going to fight for it. Every inch. Together."

She glances up at Groot, her curiosity returning with a slight grin. "And, uh... Groot? What's the deal with the underpants?"